ABERDEEN, S.D. – With wins in every individual and relay event, the University of Sioux Falls Swimming Team opened the 2020-21 with a dominant 170-84 dual win over Northern State on the road. In total, USF won 12 individual titles and captured both relays (200 medley, 200 free).
The Cougars, which was ranked in the top 15 a year ago and finished third at the NSIC Championships, recorded its 11
thstraight dual win. USF's last loss was DI Nebraska-Omaha in December of 2018.
USF Head Coach
Chris Hamstra noted the performances of his three returning All-Americans with senior
Jenna Krahn picking up two individual and a second place relay result as did junior
Elizabeth Spaans.
Chantal Kasch had two wins and was part of a winning relay. With the All-Americans leading the way, USF also had strong performances across the roster with several freshman winning individual titles in their first meet at USF.
"I'm really happy with the result today," said Hamstra, whose squad will face Augustana on Jan. 15, along with Northern State and U-Mary on Jan. 16 in Sioux Falls at the Midco Aquatic Center. "Our team was able to get a little rust off after being out of competition for awhile. They competed hard and really put forward some really great racing. Plus, they showed great support of each other amazingly today," said Hamstra of his team, which has competed competitively in more than 10 months due to the CoVID-19 pandemic.
Spaans picked up individual wins in the 200 back (2:13.22) along with the 100 back (59.76). In that 100 back, USF took four of the top0five places as freshman
Ilinde de Plessis was third (1:02.55) with senior
Gigi Bario fourth (1:05.44) and junior
Keelin O'Connor, fifth (1:05.95). Spaans also was part of the second place 200 medley relay which included sophomore
Abigail Ford, sophomore
Valerie Childs and Krahn.
Krahn won an two individual titles by claiming the 100 free in 54:41 and leading a group of USF swimmers in the top four spots of the 50 free. Krahn clocked a 24.87 to win the 50 free event. Sophomore
Ursula Demarquet was second (25:04), senior
Tori Bailey, third (26:05) and senior
Sydnie Saddoris, fourth (26.41).
Kasch won two individual titles and was part of a winning relay. She took the title in the 200 breast (2:28.05) and also took home the 100 breast title (1:08.96). She led three in the top four of the 100 breast. Freshman
Jaidyn Nelson was third (1:15.09) in the event and senior
Aleah Rohde, fourth (1:17.58).
Kasch was part of USF's winning 200 medley relay which clocked in at 1:50.69. Other team members included
Gigi Bario freshman
Domenica Solano and sophomore
Ursula Demarquet. USF also finished fourth and fifth in the relay. The fourth place team (1:55.58) included Rohde, freshman
Paulina Ruelas, sophomore
Makenzy Kennedy and senior
Tori Bailey. The fifth place team included junior
Keelin O'Connor, Saddoris, freshman
Kaylee Tringali and sophomore
Samantha Mullvain.
Tringali picked up her first career individual win in the 200 free (2:00.76) to lead four in the top five. Solano was second and finished just .12 behind Tringali in 2:00.88. Senior
Evelyn VanDeMark was third (2:03.18) with Ford (2:07.28) taking fourth.
In the 1000 free, senior
Nina Groene led three in the top four by capturing the title in 10:56.85.
Alex Sanchez-Clark was second (11:19.27) while sophomore
Burke Henderson was fourth (11:39.78).
In the 200 fly, Childs took individual honors in (2:13.03) while Ruelas was second (2:14.72), Kennedy, fourth (2:22.61) and freshman
Emily Solarski, fifth (2:23.87).
Solano and Ruelas were part of a group of impressive freshman who took over individual titles. Solano had an individual win and was part of the 200 free relay (1:43.61) which also captured a title. Saddoris, Giulia Fazzo Marcon and Childs were other members of that winning relay. In the 100 fly, Solano won her first title at USF in 59.00. Ruelas was the winner in the 200 IM as she clocked a 2:15.15. Also picking up a win for USF was VanDeMark who captured the 500 free (5:26.75).
